Combustion demonstration apparatus



June 25, 1957 W. G. HAYNE COMBUSTION DEMONSTRATION APPARATUS Filed June 29, 1955 INVENTOR. [Wu/AM G.'HAYNE ATTORNEY United Sttes Patent f COMBUSTION DEMONSTRATION APPARATUS William G. Hayne, Great Neck, N. Y.

Application June 29, 1955, Serial No. 518,826

4 Claims. or. 35-18) This invention relates to a safety demonstration apparatus and more particularly to an apparatus for graphically illustrating the elements or components which are necessary to sustain combustion.

In order to adequately and interestingly lecture on the dangerous practices or habits which often cause fires and to instruct persons on the prevention of fires it has been found desirable to demonstrate various aspects of the phenomena of fire, particularly on the ingredients which are essential for a fire. These ingredients are aptly illustrated through what is commonly referred to as the fire triangle. It is Well known that the requisites of fire are fuel, heat and oxygen and that these may be exemplified as the three sides of a triangle, hence the expression fire triangle.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a demonstration apparatus based upon the fire triangle but adapted to graphically illustrate the principles therebehind and to. afiord an opportunity to visually illustrate the commonly known equivalents for the elements essential for a fire.

In carrying out the invention there is provided a collapsible structural frame which may be erected and interlocked to form the sides of a'triangle, each of the upstanding arms having a plurality of permanent magnets secured thereto as well as a mechanically actuated switch. There is'further provided a plurality of plaques marked to indicate an element of fire either by wording or pictorial representation of the element which plaques are maintained in place on the arms by the action of the permanent magnets to thereby depict a fire triangle. Behind the arms and plaques but visible between them is a device for simulating a fire which is electrically controlled. This. device is activated when plaques for all the elements of fire are in place and actuate the mechanical switches to complete a circuit and thus initiate operation of the fire simulating device. Removal, of a plaque permits the mechanical switch associated therewith to be restored to inoperative position to interrupt the circuit for the fire simulating device. 4

Features and advantages of this invention .may be gained from the foregoing and the description of a preferred embodiment thereof which follows.

In the drawings: a

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the apparatus;

Figure 1A is a rear view of one of the faceplates used on the apparatus;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but having the plaques removed to show the structural members;

Figure 3 is a detailed perspective view showing the means whereby the structure is interlocked in upstanding position;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along line 44 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a plan view showing one of the structural members of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmental view showing the 2,796,682 Patented June 25, 1957 details of mounting the magnets and switches on the structural member;

Figure 7 is an end view of thefire simulating device;

Figure 8 is a fragmental view taken along line 88 of Figure 7; and

Figure 9 is a simplified wiring diagram for the demonstration apparatus.

Referring first to Figure 2, there is shown a base board 10 at opposite ends of which are secured mounting brackets 11 and 12, the brackets being in the form of angle irons, one leg of each being secured to the baseboard and the other leg of each serving as an upright supporting member.

Bracket 11 serves as a support for structural arm 13 which is pivotally secured to the bracket by pin 14. Bracket 12 likewise serves as a support for structural arm 15 which is pivotally secured to the bracket by pin 16. It will be observed that pivot pin 14 is located nearer to the base board 10 than pin 16. The reason for this is that when the structural arms are in folded position as they are when the apparatus is not in use, arm 13 will rest in horizontal alignment and in contact with the base board and arm 15 will rest in a horizontal position atop arm 13.

Each of the structural arms is formed of an elongated angle iron, one leg of which is arranged to provide an upwardly disposed surface for elements hereinafter discussed and the depending leg of which is disposed toward the front of the apparatus. As is shown in Figure 3 the topmost end of arm 13 is formed with a notch 20 in its horizontal leg while arm 15 is formed with a catch 21 protruding from its horizontal leg in a position for cooperating with notch 20. As the arms are raised from their horizontal position to an upstanding position, catch 21 is fitted into notch 20 and a rigid triangular structure results. To disassembling the unit (see Figure 2) arm 13 is first pivoted clockwise to its horizontal position and arm 15 can be pivoted counterclockwise to its resting position atop arm 13.

A plurality of permanent magnets 22 are shown mounted flush with the top surface of each of the structural arms 13 and 15. These may be and preferably are Alnico magnets. The pole pieces of each magnet are inserted in cut-out portions of the structural arms so that the surface of the pole pieces are coterminous with the surface of the arms. The magnets may be thus secured by any suitable means but they are illustrated as mounted with screws 23 extending through the top leg of the structural arms into the yoke of the magnets (see Figure 6).

In a similar manner, the mechanical switches 24 and 25, which may be Micro Switches, are mounted so that the top surface of the switch is flush with the surface of the leg of the angle iron and the operating plunger 26 of the switch protrudes slightly above the surface. In this manner if a member is placed above the structural arm and attracted thereto'and held in place thereon by the permanent magnets, plunger 26 is depressed and the switch thereby actuated.

' Referring now to Figure 1, several plaques or faceplates are provided for use with the apparatus. They may be of aluminum or any other desired material. However, on the back of each plaque, there is an angle shaped support 27 capable of being attracted and held by the permanent magnets above referred to. The use of the magnets to hold the plaques rather than a more permanent type of mounting means such as screws, permits the plaques to be readily interchanged for demonstration purposes. The plaque marked Oxygen is shown permanently mounted on the apparatus, being secured to brackets 11 and 12 by metal screws 31 (Figure 8). The plaques 32 and 33 marked Fuel and Heat respectively are detachable and furnished with a metallic support 27. Thus theseplaques may be placed on the structural arms 13 and 15 held thereon by the magnets 22. When so located the rear surface of the plaque abuts the depending leg of the structural arms and the projecting leg of the angle support rests atop the permanentmagnets to be held thereby (Figure 4). As the plaques are so placed on the structural arms, the plungers of the Micro Switches mounted thereon are depressed and the switches actuated.

Extra plaques 34 may be provided to be used in the place of plaque 32 marked Fuel and these extra plaques will be provided with pictorial representations of fuel.

For example, a plaque may show a picture of rubbish, waste paper, old, furniture, etc. In a similar manner extra plaques 35 may be provided to be used in place of the plaque 33 marked Heat. These will bear pictures of heat producing objects such as matches, cigarettes, electric heaters, etc.

Attention will now be directed to the fire simulating device 36, Figures 7 and 8. This device includes a cylinder frame 37 on which is placed crinkled aluminum foil 40. The cylinder frame is mounted for rotation with shaft 41 which in turn is supported in bearing stands 42. Keyed to the shaft 41 is worm gear 43 which meshes with vertically disposed Worm 44 on shaft 45 of motor 46. A series of lamps 47 are mounted along the baseboard behind the plaque 30 marked Oxygen and therefore out. of sight of the audiences observing the demonstration of this apparatus. These lamps may be similar to those found on a Christmas tree and when obtained when the light therefrom is reflected from the rotating cylinder covered with crinkled aluminum. A grill or grating 50 is provided to encase the device 36. The electrc circuit for the device 36 is shown in Figure 9. It is seen to be a simple series circuit including a toggle switch 51 (Figure 8), contacts of the Micro Switches 24 and 25 and motor 46 connected in parallel with lamps 47. It is obvious that, assuming toggle switch 51 closed, when plaques are in place on the structural arms 13 and Micro Switches will be actuated and their contacts engaged to complete the circuit for the fire simulating device 36. By the same token, it is obvious that if either or both Fuel plaque or Heat plaque is removed from position on the structural arms, the circuit will be interrupted and the device 36 will not be operated, thus representing an absence of fire.

In operation, the apparatus is assembled as in Figure 2 and toggle switch closed after the electric cord and plug (not shown) are connected to an outlet in the auditorium where the apparatus is being demonstrated. Thereafter, a plaque representing, for example Fuel is mounted on structural arm 13. It is then observed that the fire simulating device 36 is not operated inasmuch as Micro Switch 25 is not actuated. The explanation is made that a combination of the elements Oxygen and Fuel will not support combustion and hence there can be no fire. Now, however, if the plaque representing Heat is placed on structural arm 15, Micro Switch 25 is actuated to engage its contacts and complete the circuit for operating fire simulating device 36. Completion of the circuit energizes motor 46 to rotate the aluminum covered cylinder 37 and illuminates lamps 47 The device realistically simulates a fire and therefore graphically illustrates the principles underlying combustion of material. It is now apparent to an audience that all three elements, Oxygen, Fuel, and Heat are necessary in order that a fire be started. To continue the demonstration, the plaque marked Fuel is removed from the structural arm 13. Immediately switch 24 is restored to its normal deactivated condition and the switch contacts separate to interrupt the circuit for the device 36. It is therefore explainable that the elements Oxygen and Heat are not sufiicient of themselves to support combustion. The plaques representing fuel and heat, either by word or pictorial representation, may be removed or added in various sequences and in each instance it will be clear that all three elements Oxygen, Fuel and Heat are required before there can be a fire.

The significance of the fire triangle can also be used to demonstrate the various means to extinguish a fire.

Thus with all three elements Oxygen, Fuel and Heat present with the resulting fire, it can be explained and demonstrated that the fire is extinguishable by removing or at least not replenishing one of the essential elements. This is merely the reverse of the foregoing illustration. 7

It is to be understood that many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and hence the foregoing description and drawings are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for graphically illustrating the requisite elements for sustaining combustion comprising a base, a first supporting arm having a plurality of magnets mounted thereon, said arm being pivotally mounted on said base for swinging movement from a horizontal to an inclined position, a second supporting arm having a plurality of magnets mounted thereon, said second arm being pivotally mounted on said base for swinging movement from a horizontal to an inclined position, interlocking means provided at the extremities of each of said arms whereby the arms can be erected to form an inverted V, and at least a pair of information bearing members for magnetic attachment to said supporting arms.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each of the supporting arms has mounted thereon'a mechanically operated switch which is actuated by an information hearing member held on the arm by the magnets provided.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2 including an electrically controlled fire simulating device and wherein the mechanically operated switches control operation of the device.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the fire simulating device includes a horizontally disposed rotatable member having a crinkled metallic sheet cover and a plurality of lamps for illuminating the metallic sheet cover as it is rotated.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Composto Apr. 25, 1950 

